1991 Mercury Tracer Problems

I HAD TO REPLACE TWO IGNITION SWITCHES ON MY 1991 MERCURY 1.9 TRACER TO THE TUNE OF $360.00. THE FIRST ONE THEY INSTALLED, THE TUMBLERS FELL APART AFTER ONE DAY, I HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANIC TO INSTALL A SECOND IGNITION SWITCH. I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON TRACER IGNITION SWITCHES. HOW DO I RECOVER MY EXPENSE? *JB

1991 TRACER IS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO 1991 4-DOOR ESCORT AND USES THE SAME ELECTRICAL HARDWARE, PER CHILTON'S MANUALS. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IGNITION SWITCH FIRES FOR ESCORTS (NHTSA 96V071000) FOR MODELS 8/87 TO 9/92, BUT THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH A RECALL AND THERE WAS NEVER ONE ISSUED BY MERCURY FOR OUR PARTICULAR MAKE. THE SERVICE REPS IN INDIANA AND ARIZONA APPEARED TO HAVE FAMILIARITY WITH IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS BUT STOPPED SHORT OF OFFERING ANY RECALL COVERAGE FOR THE REPAIR..*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MERCURY TRACER. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH FUEL AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT SMELLED A FUEL ODOR AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING ONTO THE GARAGE FLOOR. ALL AMERICAN FORD (3306 BRIDGE AVE, POINT PLEASANT, NJ 08742, (732) 451-3582) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD AND THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ALL AMERICAN MAZDA (575 BURNT TAVERN RD, BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ 08724, (732) 451-6848) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

(1) SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT MOVE TO DRIVING POSITION, COOLANT FAN WOULD NOT RUN WHEN NEEDED WITH ENGINE RUNNING ONLY WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, OIL LIGHT STAYED ON AND ALTERNATELY FLASHED WITH THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR. (2) A SHORTING CONNECTOR TO THE FUEL PUMP BURNED THE WIRE BUNDLE TO THE FUEL PUMP IN THE TANK. IT ALSO BURNED WIRES BEHIND THE FUSE BLOCK AND UNDER THE DASH!!! (3) THE CONNECTOR, HARNESS UPDATE, FUEL PUMP/PUMP ASSEMBLY, LOCK RING, WERE REPLACED, BURNED WIRES WERE REPLACED BEHIND THE FUSE BLOCK. THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE BURNED WIRES TO REPAIR UNDER THE DASH. UPDATED01/09/06. *JB

SHOULDER BELT TRACK AND CABLE FAILED, WE ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS THE PARTS COMING BY ORDERING THEM FOR A NEWER CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY. FORD HAS A SHORTAGE OF THESE PARTS AND IS SENDING THEM ONLY FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS. THIS MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF FAILING PARTS. WE WAITED TO GET THIS REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT MOVE BACK AND FORTH ON THE RAIL. SHOULDER BELT IS IN CLOSED/BACK POSITION ON THE RAIL. THE DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE WILL LEAK 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE MUFFLER BANGS AGAINST THE FLOOR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO GET SOME SPEED, BLACK SMOKE COMES OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK, FUEL POURS OUT. VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL. DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. STRUTS FOR THE TAILGATE DO NOT HOLD THE TAILGATE. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ALSO DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. CONSUMER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK. *JB

CAR RUNNING PERFECTLY FINE ON THE HIGHWAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE CUT OFF. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A MAIN STREET AND CLUTCH PEDAL FELL OFF ON HIS LEG, AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. BUT HE WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO COMPLETE STOP. ARM OF CLUTCH WAS VERY SMALL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS CASE SHOULD INVESTIGATED. *YH

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WENT OUT BECAUSE CLUTCH BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. TORQUE CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO ALL THE BUILD UP TRASH FROM THE TRANSMISSION (FAILURE). MJS

VEHICLE WILL LEAK 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE MUFFLER BANGS AGAINST THE FLOOR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO GET SOME SPEED, BLACK SMOKE COMES OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK, FUEL POURS OUT. VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL. DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. STRUTS FOR THE TAILGATE DO NOT HOLD THE TAILGATE. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ALSO DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. CONSUMER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK. *JB

THE CAR FUEL GAUGE FAILED FIRST SOON AFTER PROBLEMS BEGAN TO OCCUR WITH THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY NOT STARTING. AFTER A FEW DAYS THE CAR WOULD NOT START UPON LEAVING FROM MY WORK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY DETERMINED. REMOVAL OF THE REAR SEAT REVEALED THAT THE WIRING TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS SEVERELY MELTED AWAY. THE POWER WIRES TO THE FUEL PUMP DO NOT APPEAR TO BE THE MAIN PROBLEM HOWEVER, BUT THE SENDING UNIT WIRES HAVE COMPLETELY FAILED AND IN THE PROCESS DESTROYED THE OTHER WIRING AS WELL. THE FUSE TO THE FUEL PUMP HAS NEVER BLOWN WHICH IS THE ORIGIONAL FUSE.

MASTER CYLINDER FAILS AND REPLACED REPEATEDLY THREE TIMES WITHIN 50000 MILES. TT

DESIGN OF BRAKES CAUSES THEIR COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION TO INCREASE WITH TEMPERATURE. THIS CAUSES PERFORMANCE IN A PANIC STOP FROM HIGH SPEED TO BE ACCEPTABLE. HOWEVER, IF BRAKES ARE AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *AK

VEHICLE WILL LEAK 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE MUFFLER BANGS AGAINST THE FLOOR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO GET SOME SPEED, BLACK SMOKE COMES OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK, FUEL POURS OUT. VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL. DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. STRUTS FOR THE TAILGATE DO NOT HOLD THE TAILGATE. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ALSO DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. CONSUMER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK. *JB

THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE BEGAN TO RISE, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF DASH VENTS.

STEERING COLUMN FIRE. *SD

WHILE DRIVING, BOLTS IN THE RACK AND PINION FELL OFF CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

VEHICLE WILL LEAK 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE MUFFLER BANGS AGAINST THE FLOOR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO GET SOME SPEED, BLACK SMOKE COMES OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK, FUEL POURS OUT. VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL. DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. STRUTS FOR THE TAILGATE DO NOT HOLD THE TAILGATE. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ALSO DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. CONSUMER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK. *JB

PROBLEMS PERFORMING A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT DUE TO LEFT SUSPENSION ARM NOT BEING ADJUSTABLE. *SD

VEHICLE WILL LEAK 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, THERE IS ALSO A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE MUFFLER BANGS AGAINST THE FLOOR, WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS TO GET SOME SPEED, BLACK SMOKE COMES OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK, FUEL POURS OUT. VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL. DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. STRUTS FOR THE TAILGATE DO NOT HOLD THE TAILGATE. THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, ALSO DIMMER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, RPM GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. CONSUMER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK. *JB

ELECTRICAL SHORT, SWITCH BUTTON RIGHT HEAD LIGHTS SHORTS OUT WHILE DRIVING. TT

I'VE HAD 4 HEATER CORES AND 3 TIMING BELTS REPLACED, THE THIRD JUST AFTER 50,000 MILES. AND NOT WARRANTY COVERAGE BECAUSE IF MILEAGE.

CAR WILL NOT REMAIN AT SPEED FOR MORE THAN 25 SECONDS. *AK